The public school in North Carolina has a crisis response plan and a team to carry out the plan in the event of a crisis. Each school's plan outlines a number of items, such as the name of the person in charge of the plan and of each crisis team member and their roles; and protocols for responding to the immediate physical harm of students, faculty or staff.

The plan also describes the school's response to disaster and emergency procedures such as earthquakes, fire, flood, explosions or other events where death or serious injury is likely. School plans outline procedures for safe entrance to and exit from the school during a crisis, including evacuation and lock down. Also, the plans describe policies for enforcing school discipline and maintaining a safe and orderly environment during a crisis.

School districts provide crisis response training annually to employees, including conducting evacuation and lock down drills; and each school reviews its plan annually and updates it as appropriate. The school's crisis plan in located in the schools central office.

In addition, public health promotes healthy behaviors by educating the public, and supporting community action to reduce health risks. Outreach activities are conducted to link high-risk and disadvantaged people to needed services and to provide direct treatment and clinical preventive services to these populations.

Coping with Traumatic Events - Disaster response is most often associated with the groups who provide immediate rescue and emergency services. Media coverage typically captures the recognizable uniforms of fire, police, American Red Cross, and emergency medical personnel.

There is a less noticed group of responders that address the emotional fallout from the shocking destruction and loss disasters leave in their wake. They are the professionals and para-professionals who provide the emotional and social counseling critical to personal restabilization and recovery.

Local Mental Health Counseling Centers maintain Emergency Response Plans (ERP) should a disaster befall upon the Community. Staff are trained in crisis counseling and emergency response. In a disaster they reach out to victims and their families to provide support, problem solving, and referral information.

The services are provided in shelters over a cup of coffee, or to a child amidst the ruins of a home, while parents search through their scattered belongings. They also provide Critical Incident Stress Management, specialized debriefing for rescuers who respond to the first calls for help. These are the people who respond to the invisible wounds – terror and confusion, anger and horror, grief and disorganization.

Disaster's Impact on Children - “ No one who sees a disaster will be left untouched .” The haunting reality of this truth is inescapable. Though framed by the same event, the picture for each person will be different.

Populations like children, the elderly, the poor, and the handicapped may experience great difficulty recovering. Children, whose image of themselves and the world is just forming, may be significantly disturbed by disaster. Preexisting problems, family history, socialization, and personality are factors that affect their reaction and recovery.

A child's developmental level determines his or her ability to comprehend events and to develop coping skills. Children seek security and direction from parents. As a result, children's trauma increases significantly when parents are also terrified and confused.

Children's reactions to disaster are also age dependent. Preschoolers may display helplessness, crying, bed-wetting, nightmares, clinging, and anxiety. School age children may have physical complaints, safety fears, poor concentration, or preoccupation with the disaster. They may fight or withdraw from peers. Teens suffer these same symptoms along with sleep problems, depression or guilt, or increase risk taking behavior, including use of alcohol.

Initial response for children should emphasize protection, guidance, and compassion. Children should be allowed to express their experience through discussion, art, and storytelling. Teens might be asked to perform practical tasks, especially in service to others. In the recovery stage, adults should promote new problem solving and coping skills for children and teens. All kids should be encouraged to develop friendships with peers and adults.